eeaume



(No Model.)

E. F* REAUME.

COPPER DAM.

Patented Sept. 22, 1885.

ELI r. REAUME, or AMIInnsrBU'ne, oNfrARIo, oA-NADA.y

COFFER-DAVI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 326,783, dated September 22, 1885. Application filed April l0, 1885. (No model.)

tion, into the soil, to exclude water from en- To all whom it may concern: A

Be it known that I, ELI FRANoIs REAUME, of Amherstburg, in the county of Essex and Dominion of Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Coffer-Dams; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the construction of coer-dams of great strength, easily constructed and operated.

The invention consists in the construction of the various parts and their combinations and operation, as more fully hereinafter described.

Figure 1 is a vertical central cross-section of my improved coiffer-dam. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the upper portion thereof, showing the top; and Fig. 3 is a perspective of the bottom thereof, taken from the under side.

In the drawings, A represents the timbers, which form a rectangular frame of a sufficient depth and size for the purpose required, and the walls of this frame, both upon the sides and ends, are vertical. Upon the outside of this frame is arranged another frame, B, rectangular in form, but with sloping sides and ends, as shown in Fig. l, and this latter is secured to the inner frame by means of braces C, and the outer walls, D, are built up of timber, between which are water-tight joints. Both these frames rest upon and are secured to a bottom, E, common to both, having central openings, F, to close which there are arranged doors G, having suitable connections, H, by means of which such doors, which open inwardly, may be opened from the top of the device. These openings being centrally arranged, they afford communication, when the doors or covers are open, with the chamber formed by the interior rectangular frame. Surrounding the space occupied by these openings F is a heavy sheetmetal flange, I, rectangular in form, corresponding to the shape and size of the inner frame, A, secured in any way convenient to the bottom, which is made of intersecting timbers, as shown in Fig. 3, for the purpose of projecting, when the device is in operatering the chamber formed by the frame A when the doors F are open.

'Ihe panels or spaces J, formed by the intersecting timbers of the bottom E, are filled with planking to make the whole bottom water-tight, except as explained.

Piles K, sharpened at their lower end and of a proper length, are secured near their upper ends to the cross-girts L, which lie across the top of the device.

Vhen the device is floated to the place where operations are to commence, it is sunk by opening the doors G, which admit water into the compartments, the device being weighted, as is usual in such constructions, so that the structure will readily sink when water is admitted, and when so sunk and restresting upon the bottom a pile-driver of any suitable character is employed to drive the piles K, which are arranged between the inner and outer frames of the device, into the bottom of the river, to hold the device in place, and the water is pumped from the interior of the device, and the operation of digging or excavating is carried on through the openings F, suitable elevators and excavators being employed, if desired.

The set-screws M pass through the girts L, and may be employed, if necessary, after the piles have been driven to a iirm hold, to still further drive the device into the oozy bottom usually found where such devices are to be used.

It will be readily seen that this device is economical in construction, and being made and compressed in the manner in which it is, it will withstand a heavy outside pressure, and the outer walls being sloping from bottom to top, or, as is sometimes said, tumbling inboard, the pressure of the water is downward as well as lateral.

Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. A coffer-dam having a rectangular base, with inwardly-tumbling or inclined sides secured to a frame of corresponding shape, in combination with an inner frame and stays between the two frames, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. A coffer-dam having a rectangular bottom with openings therein, having inwardlyopening gates or doors adapted to be opened IOO by means of cords leading to the topof `the in combination with jack-screws arranged and dam, incombination with a projecting flange operating substantially as and for the purfrom such bottom,surrounding the door-openposes described. ings, substantially as and for the purposes 5 specified. Witnesses:

3. Acoer-dam havingtwofra1nes,andpi1es H. S. SPRAGUE, arranged to be driven between said frames, J oHN SCHUMAN.

ELI F. REAUME. 

